Device for cleaning and treating the ear



Oct. 21 1924. 1,512,274

L. CARAMANICO DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND TREATING THE BAR Filed Feb. 1923 I Louc's Cara'mainc'co INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 21, 1924.

F F I C LOUIS CARAMANICO, F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR CLEANING AND TREATING THE EAR.

Application filed February 17, 1923. 7 Serial No. 619,697.

Cleaning and Treating the Ear, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device which may be employed for the cleaning of the ear and for the treating of certain diseased conditions thereof.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a simple and inexpensive device of this character which can be used by a person unskilled in surgery or in the practice of medicine to remove an accumulation of Wax or other material from the cavity in the outer ear and also to subject the passages and cavities within the ear to the action of an antiseptic and healing vapor given off by the device when in use.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts which will be hereinafter described and claimed.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but no restriction is necessarily made on the precise details of construction therein shown, as changes and alterations within the scope of the appended claims may be made if desired.

In the drawing Figure 1 is a perspective view of my device for cleaning of the ear and the treating of diseased conditions thereof.

Figure 2 is a view of the device partly in section.

Figure 3 is a view in side elevation partly in section of a slightly modified form of the device as disclosed in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 is a view in elevation partly in section of a still further modified form of the invention.

Referring now to the drawing in detail wherein like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the various views in the drawing, my invention comprises a tapering tubular body 5. The body 5 is formed from a strip of inflammable material such as paper, or the like, and the strip is wound spirally upon itself as shown. The strip from which the body 5 is formed may be treated with a chemical or other substance which would allow the body portion 5 of the invention to burn, but not freely.

The body 5 of the ear cleaning and treat ing device is arranged within a tapering skirt or cover 6 which extends some distance below thebase or largerend of the body 5 for a purpose which will be hereinafter described.

The skirt or cover 6 is also formed from a strip of inflammable material such as fabric or the like with the strip wound spirally upon itself to give the skirt or cover the tapering tubular form. The strip from which the skirt 1 or cover 6 of the body 5 is formed is impregnated or coated with an inflammable material such as tallow, wax or the like, so that when the device is in use the skirt or cover 6 will burn freely yet slowly andin an even manner owing to the manner in which the strip from which the skirt or covering is formed is wound up itself.

The lower or smaller end of the body 5 extends beyond the smaller end of the skirt or cover 6 to provide a nipple 7 which is adapted to be inserted in the entrance to the cavity in the outer car when the device is I to be used. A strip of-the same material from which the skirt or cover 6 is formed is wrapped around the larger end of the skirt or cover to form. a coil 8, said coil being above or in advance of the larger end of the body 5. By enlarging the larger end of the skirt 6 in the manner described it is ob vious that when the device is in use the coil 8 will burn for sometime before the skirt or cover 6 and body 5 begins to be consumed by the flame, and in many instances the burning of the base or coil 8 on the skirt is sufiicient to extract from the ear the accumulation of matter which is interfering with the hearing of the person being treated with the device.

Referring now to Figure 3 in the drawing the invention is shown provided with a cup or shield 9 which is adapted to not onl shield the ear of a person being treated wit the device from the flame from the burning skirt, but is also adapted to catch and hold any of the material with which the skirt is impregnated, should such material melt and flow toward the smaller end of the skirt.

In some instances where the person who is being treated with the device is of an advanced age, or the ear is sensitive from a diseased condition, it is advisable to provide the device with a vent for a portion of the smoke and heat which may accumulate in the body 5 and thus prevent the treatment from being too severe.

In Figure 4: in the drawing, a vent 9' for the purpose described above is shown and this vent 9 forms a part of the body 5 and extends diagonally through an opening in the skirt 6 toward the larger end of the de vlce.

When it is desired to use my invention the nipple 7 is inserted in the entrance to the cavity in the outer ear and the coil 8 at the base of the skirt is ignited. The heat from the burning coil rarefies and heats the air in the body 5 and the suction created in the body 5 in this manner readily draws out the softened wax within the ear of the person being treated; After the wax has been withdrawn the heat and smoke from the burning body portion of the device will pass up the tube 5 and into the cavities and passages within the ear, and when the skirt 6 is medicated with powdered cubeb or some other medicine the heat and smoke forms medicated vapor which tends to soothe and heal the inflamed surfaces from which the wax has been removed.

From the foregoing it is obvious that a simple, inexpensive device has been provided which may be advantageously employed for cleaning the ear and treating certain diseased conditions thereof, particularly those resulting from a catarrhal condition.

Having thus described my invention what is claimed as new is:

1. A device of the class described comprising a tapering tubular body portion of slow burning material, a skirt of combustible ma terial carried by said body portion extending beyond one end of said body portion and treated with a free burning material, and a vent tube on said body portion extending through said skirt.

2. A device of the character described comprising a tapering tubular body formed from a single inflammable strip coiled upon itself, a skirt of similar material and like shape surroundng the body and terminating beyond the large end thereof, a strip of similar material as the body and skirt coiled around the large end of the body in an overlapping manner, and a vent communicating with the interior of the body and extending diagonally through the skirt adjacent the small end thereoffor the purpose specified.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

LOUIS CARAMANIGO. 

